World Mental Health Day takes place every year on the 10th of October. The purpose of this mental health awareness day is to remind us why mental health is so important and encourage us all to talk and listen to those around us.
The 2026 World Mental Health Day theme is ‘Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change‘, emphasising the importance of building community around mental health support and empowerment.
In 2026, the NHS stated targets that 75% of referred patients will gain access to NHS services for anxiety and depression talking therapies within 6 weeks. With these expected waiting times for NHS mental health treatments, individuals and workplaces must maintain an understanding of what we can do every day to support mental health.
Why is World Mental Health Day at work?
Mental health can play an important role in the workplace, and events like World Mental Health Day present an opportunity to have open discussions around mental health in the workplace and create a sense of community where your employees feel supported and valued in their team. Below are a few examples of the impact World Mental Health Day celebrations can have in the workplace:
- Reduce stigma: Breaking down stigma around mental health is one of the core principles at the heart of the event. Having open and honest discussions around mental health at work can help individuals share experiences, find community and overcome a fear of judgement they might have experienced.
- Improve productivity: Poor mental health can have a direct impact on individuals’ performance and productivity at work. Taking action on World Mental Health Day can be a great way to show your team that mental health is valued in your organisation, empowering individuals to seek support all year round.
- Support staff retention: A strong mental health and wellbeing strategy, demonstrated especially during events like World Mental Health Day, can significantly improve staff retention. Research shows that in 2025, 73% of workers in the UK either left or considered leaving employment due to insufficient wellbeing support in the workplace.
5 ideas for World Mental Health Day at work
Here are 5 ideas for World Mental Health Day this year that could help organisations establish strong world mental health practices.
1. Understand the extent of your mental health issues
Ask your Employee Assistance Programme provider for utilisation reports for your helpline and counselling services. You’ll also find clues in absence records, health insurance claims, Occupational Health and Group Income Protection referrals, and staff surveys.
2. Equip managers to recognise the signs
Ensure managers know the signs of common mental health conditions. The symptoms of stress and common mental health problems are similar, for example, loss of appetite, fatigue and tearfulness. The HSE website has lots of advice on this that can help you to encourage your workers to recognise the signs of their own and colleagues’ mental health.
3. Use what you’ve already got more effectively
Make sure employees know about your Employee Assistance Programme, and ensure line managers mention it whenever they talk to those showing signs of stress or mental illness. Westfield Health offers Employee Assistance Programme solutions for businesses seeking to support mental health and wellbeing. Our assistance programmes offer a range of benefits including:
- 24-hour advice line
- 24/7 access to GP telephone service
- Online support resources for mental and financial wellbeing
- Free telephone legal advice
- Rewards programmes
Contact our team for an EAP quote today.
4. Get resilient
A preventative approach should be your ultimate aim, so take a look at Mindful Employer for help becoming an employer who is positive about mental health. For a light-hearted way to engage employees with this daily, check out the social enterprise Mindapples. It’s all about getting employees to come up with their own solutions for mental resilience by sharing their ‘5-a-day’ for the mind – the things they do to feel happier.
5. Build community
Once you have done your research on how mental health is impacting your team, it’s time to take action. World Mental Health Day 2026 aims to create community with the theme ‘Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change‘. Hosting workplace social events that encourage workers to get together and share their experiences with mental health and wellbeing can foster a supportive environment that reduces the stigma around mental health in the workplace.
We encourage you to share your ideas for World Mental Health Day at your workplace in the comments, and feel free to explore our further mental health resources to build workplace into your everyday practice.